Best attractions in the Balkans

The most photographed church in the Balkans — a 13th-century jewel on a cliff above impossibly blue water.

Byzantine-Ottoman fortress above the old town — climb at golden hour for Prizren's postcard panorama.

One of the Balkans' mightiest fortresses — arms museum, recovered US jet and views over the stone city.

Impossibly turquoise alpine pool reached by a scenic 2-hour trail from Theth — icy, beautiful, unforgettable.

Massive 5-storey Cold-War bunker turned history & art museum — Albania's most haunting must-see.

Legendary fortress above three rivers — 2,300 years of history and the best panorama in northern Albania.

1438 mosque painted like a jewel box — 30,000 eggs went into its dazzling floral facades.

UNESCO-listed medieval monastery at the mouth of Rugova Canyon — frescoed churches in serene gardens.

15th-century Ottoman bridge over the Vardar — the symbol of Skopje linking new town and Old Bazaar.